Measure E expenditures detailed in Elk Grove’s fiscal year 2024 budget

Public safety is receiving half of the new funding

When the Elk Grove City Council unanimously approves the city’s fiscal year 2024 budget tonight, they will also support a spending plan for sales tax revenues generated by November 2022 voter-approved Measure E. The budget, which will become effective July 1, must be balanced by state law.

The budget forecast Measure E revenues, which are generated by a one percent sales tax purchase of consumer goods, of $22.5 million in 2024, with $4.5 million transferred to reserves for unspecified uses. Of the remaining $18 million, $6.5 million or 37.5 percent is allocated to the Cosumnes Community Services District. The CCSD will use $4.5 million for fire protection and $2.25 million for parks and recreation.

The city will use the remaining $11.5 million as follows:

The largest share of the remaining $11.25 million will be for the police department. Along with adding 11 officers in various classifications, three dispatchers, and two mental health clinicians, the $4.5 million will include new technological additions to law enforcement efforts accentuated by purchasing a so-called first responding drone.

According to the budget report, the $300,000 drone first responder “program will provide real-time video intelligence overhead calls for service, typically before ground resources arrive on the scene.” The program will have four pre-positioned drones and will be remotely operated.

To address homelessness, $1.55 million of the $2.02 million will be spent to provide interim shelter, which could include hotel vouchers. The city will also hire a homeless navigator to provide services to clients seeking assistance.

The Elk Grove Police and the Cosumnes Community Fire Department will receive 50 percent of the Measure E revenue in the next fiscal year. Each department will receive $4.5 million.

One category receiving a relatively small allocation is road maintenance, which has often been a low priority of the city. This category has been budgeted only $1.59 million.

Interestingly, the city’s economic development department will receive $1.275 million for a hodge-podge of programs, including $250,000 for the so-called Elk Grove Tech Hub to assist. One of the programs of particular interest to Elk Grove City Councilmember Sergio Robles is $200,000 in incentives for breweries and restaurants.

When he ran for office last year, Robles said recruiting more breweries in Elk Grove’s District 4 was a top legislative priority.